Writings, observations and ideas either caused by or meant to induce a minor disruption.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Lost Corner Revisited

About six months ago, this was what was here, a traffic light, replacing them you know. I called it a lost corner, because the widening of the avenue meant we lost a corner (and gained a new albiet abbreviated one), which meant that the traffic light had to be replaced. Heck, I’ve practically done a whole series on the traffic light replacements (hereherehere). The Lost Corner revisited. After removing the remaining light pole base, the crew here had to dig into the asphalt with a back hoe with hydraulic jack hammer in order to clear a space and expose the metal encased cables beneath our city that enable the traffic lights to illuminate coordination twixt vehicles and pedestrians. Then they have to saw off the cables and repave. I’m probably missing a step; apparently they don’t have to remove the entire cable just the ends. I wonder what they connect to; I mean where is the cable that these cables connect to. I wonder about the subterranean intricacy on which this city stands. Still, I got a pretty good shot of the heavy duty metal saw cutting into the cable. Look at those sparks. They were wearing goggles, the workers. Maybe there are more complicated things to devise that traffic lights, but admit it, you take them for granted. It was a problem solved long ago, maybe a century I reckon. But somebody solved the problem; a job was created. This looks like hard work, using that saw, cutting that cable, you have to know what you’re doing. Training is involved. I contemplate this kind of stuff all the time, the multitude of labor required to make our society function. Dig those sparks...